BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Powder Ski Comparisons: Old vs New vs What Should Be Next? (Ep.320)
The snow’s been falling, and we’re already fantasizing about those really deep days. So today, Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth make the case for wide pow skis, then they talk about a bunch of current pow skis, old pow skis, and some design specifics they think are good ideas.
EXTENDED: Win Antti Ollila’s Ski & Boot Setup
The winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will win the Prodigy 3 ski from Faction and the fs 01 120 boot from phaenom Footwear, the go-to setup of Finnish freestyle skier Antti Ollila!
3-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Rounding out Part Three of our reviewers 3-ski quiver picks, we hear from Kristin Sinnott and Jonathan Ellsworth — check out their selections and let us know what your ideal 3-ski quiver would look like!
‘Inner Boots’ vs. Liners in Ski Boots | ZipFit 2025 Lineup Video
Several of our reviewers have used a single pair of ZipFit “inner boots” for hundreds of days, as have many pro and everyday skiers around the world. But how exactly do they accomplish that, and what makes them different from a regular boot liner? In this video from Blister Summit 2024, we get answers from ZipFit’s Jeff Colt.
Deep Dive: Knolly Fugitive 140
We compare the Knolly Fugitive 140 to the Santa Cruz Hightower 3, Trek Fuel EX, Revel Rascal V2, Santa Cruz Bronson, REEB Steezl, Rocky Mountain Instinct, Transition Smuggler, Norco Optic, Deviate Highlander II, Forbidden Druid V2, Norco Sight, Yeti SB140, Banshee Phantom V3, and Propain Hugene.
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Knolly Fugitive 140
We’ve had a couple of reviewers riding Knolly’s updated Fugitive 140, and it stands out from the mid-travel Trail bike market in a few interesting ways — not an easy task in that typically “jack of all trades, master of none” category. Here’s our Full Review.
Casey Brown on the Inaugural Women’s Red Bull Rampage (Ep.246)
Red Bull Rampage finally, belatedly, included a women’s category this year — and it was outstanding. Casey Brown arguably did more than anyone else to get her foot in the door, and to smash it down for others to follow, so we sat down with her to hear all about it. Don’t miss this one.
Stuff We Like: October 2024
This edition of Stuff We Like includes some excellent camera-friendly outdoor gear, several shoulder-season layering pieces, two of our bike editors’ favorite grips, and more. Check it out to see all the latest gear our reviewers have been digging.
Diner Coffee, Sour Beers, Well-Done Steaks, Putting Greens, & Brand Building with Alex LeBlanc of Calibration Coffee Lab (Ep.51)
Last year, we talked with Alex LeBlanc about starting Calibration Coffee Lab in Greenville, South Carolina. Today, Alex is back to talk about how it’s going, what he’s been learning, how his thinking about coffee has evolved, and how he’s trying to build a brand that people will love.
Michelin’s New Enduro and DH Tires
Michelin gave their Enduro and DH tire lineup a big overhaul this year, and we’ve been spending time on the whole range of models. Here are our thoughts on the new Wild Enduro MH, Wild Enduro MS, Wild Enduro Rear, DH 16, and DH 22.
‘Downhill Racer’ with Daron Rahlves & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.28)
55 years ago today, the movie ‘Downhill Racer’ came out, starring two legendary actors, Robert Redford and Gene Hackman. The film critic Roger Ebert calls this “the greatest sports movie ever made,” and today, we’re discussing it with one of the greatest American downhillers of all time, Daron Rahlves.
Natural Selection Tour Expands to Ski, Snowboard, Bike, & Surf Events
Big News: Travis Rice and the Natural Selection Tour have announced their most extensive development yet — the addition of ski, bike, and surf events. Here are the details.
Amie Engerbretson on Ugly Sweater Parties + Can the Outdoor Community Actually Make a Difference? (Ep.330)
Jonathan talks with professional skier Amie Engerbretson about our upcoming ugly sweater / ski-movie-rom-com event; her film, Hypocrite; and the question, “Can the outdoor community actually make a difference?”
Ohlins DH38 & RXF38 Coil Spring Kits
Öhlins is one of the few suspension brands offering a coil conversion kit for their forks, and it manages to incorporate some compelling features at a reasonable price point. Does it deliver that fabled coil-sprung magic, or is there more to the story? Our reviewers have some thoughts after a few months of testing.
4-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Rounding out our annual 4-ski quiver picks, Jonathan Ellsworth and Kristin Sinnott share their thoughts on what their personal 4-ski quivers would look like.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 25/26 Fischer RC4 Noize
Jonathan Ellsworth has logged a couple of days on Fischer’s new World-Cup-inspired RC4 Noize — here are his initial thoughts on this 66mm-wide carver.
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2025-2026 Fischer RC4 Noize
Fischer has unveiled their latest collection of competition-race and race-inspired skis, and we’ve started testing them. Here are the details on the new RC4 Noize models, their unique construction, and more.
Athletes & Bootfitting w/ Freeride Skier Nat Segal x Pulse Boot Labs (Ep.330)
Freeride athlete Nat Segal has had a long and impressive journey as a professional skier, and a key part of it has been getting in a properly fitting ski boot. Our Blister Recommended Shop, Pulse Boot Labs and Ski Co., has helped her along the way, so we talk with Nat and Pulse to hear about bootfitting from an athlete’s perspective, and a whole lot more.
2024-2025 Armada Declivity X 102
The Armada Declivity 102 Ti was a favorite of some of our reviewers, but this season Armada updated it. So, does the new Declivity X 102 still provide the same, well, ‘x-factor’ of the original? Here’s our Full Review.
Deep Dive: Armada Declivity X 102
We compare the Declivity X 102 to the Armada Declivity 102 Ti, Armada Declivity X 108, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Salomon Stance 102, Rossignol Sender Soul 102, Dynastar M-Pro 100 Ti, Head Kore 99, Völkl Mantra 102, Nordica Enforcer 104, Stöckli Stormrider 102, Atomic Maverick 105 CTI, Fischer Ranger 102, Blizzard Rustler 10, and Line Optic 104.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win Skis From Elan
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Elan Ripstick ski of their choosing!
Flash Review: 24/25 K2 Reckoner 110
The new Reckoner 110 has been spotted everywhere from the park to the top of FWT podiums, but what’s it like for us non-pro skiers? Here are Luke Koppa’s initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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2024-2025 K2 Reckoner 110
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new K2 Reckoner 110.
Vorsprung on the Telum, Rapid Revalve, Shock Tuning & More (Ep. 256)
There is no shortage of very good high-end coil sprung shocks on the market. So it’s noteworthy that Vorsprung’s first shock, the Telum, stands out in a number of its design details — first and foremost, the Rapid Revalve system, which Vorsprung says makes changing the base tune on the Telum a few-minute job, with no need to even open the shock up. So we sat back down with Vorsprung founder, Steve Mathews, to hear all about it.
2024-2025 ON3P Woodsman 108
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the ON3P Woodsman 108.
Flash Review: Schwalbe Magic Mary Tires
Schwalbe’s new radial tires have many of us wondering what took so long. Find out why they may be on to something, and what our early impressions are.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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Öhlins RXF36 m.3
Öhlins’ longstanding RXF36 Trail bike fork is now available in an updated m.3 generation version. So what has Öhlins changed, and how does the new RXF36 m.3 fit into their lineup?